Paradise VII: One More Chance
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: What happens when you're given an opportunity to make the best of a situation that you thought you had lost? / VincentLucrecia fluff, intending it to be bittersweet the further it goes, maybe a lemon in later chapters
1. Chapter 1

A nightmare about death and destruction, hardship and loss, and plenty more death.

Such a nightmare would be hard on anyone with a stable mind, but for Vincent Valentine it was a nightly ordeal. Such as it was it made sleep a challenge.

Still he tried, it seemed it was all he could do to maintain his sanity.

He shifted in his sleep and he felt like he was lying on uneven ground. He opened his eyes and saw that he was in an entirely different place than he was before. He had been in a cave before and now he was in a fancy white room. From where he lay he saw the end board of a large bed, a small circular wooden table with two chairs, and an open set of glass doors leading outside surrounded with white curtains. The curtains were flowing in a light breeze, while the sound of the ocean reached Vincent's ears, followed by the scent of salt water.

"What is this...?"

His eyes closed once again, his mind beginning to feel overwhelmed by what was going on when he felt a delicate touch on his cheek. He opened his eyes again and after turning his head to look towards the ceiling, Vincent saw a hauntingly familiar face looking down at him.

"Good morning Mr. Valentine," said Lucrecia Crescent with a smile.

The shock that went through Vincent's body was like he had been electrocuted. He sat up quickly and had he the room he would have leapt out of the bed. Instead he stood off to the side of the bed and got a good look at her, and within seconds his fears were dashed. It was her all right, from the long auburn hair tied in back with a yellow ribbon to the white dress he had seen her wear in the mako cave. The voice too...it sent a shiver through his body remembering how familiar it was to him. There was no doubt about it. This was indeed Lucrecia.

"How...are you here?"

She was sitting on the bed, her hands on her lap where just a moment ago Vincent's head had been laying, and looking as if she didn't know what he was implying. "What do you mean?"

Was she playing dumb? Last time Vincent checked Lucrecia had been absorbed into a crystal made of mako energy, a sort of limbo where she would remain for all eternity. Vincent knew there was no way she could be here, unless this was a crazy dream that was being played out to torment him.

"This must be a dream..."

The smile faded from her beautiful face, like he had struck a sensitive spot.

"What makes you think that?"

Deciding to play his cards carefully, Vincent spoke, "...let's just say that I had a nightmare, and that right now what I am seeing seems too good to be real."

He had chosen his words carefully, now it was up to Lucrecia to answer.

She got up from the bed and walked around it, the dress she wore dragging on the red carpet, and she stopped in front of him. Looking into his crimson eyes, she reached for his cheek again. Vincent panicked and reached for the pistol on his right hip. Lucrecia didn't stop, her hand graced his skin. Her touch was warm, sensual, but most important it had been real. She was real.

"That must have been a horrible experience," she said, seeming oblivious to his shock.

Vincent took a step back and brought his right hand to his face. He did still not believe this was real. This woman shouldn't be here, and yet here she was, acting like the last fifty years between them hadn't happened.

"Vincent?"

He looked at her. she was genuinely concerned by his behavior.

However, as Vincent wondered if he was dreaming or perhaps going insane, something about this whole situation seemed oddly pleasant. He couldn't quite put it to words, but in his mind, this felt right.

He decided to be careful, and keep that good feeling going. "I uh...just had to gather myself. Sorry to worry you...Lucrecia."

Her smile returned, and Vincent's spirit seemed to be rejuvenated by that. "That's good, Vincent. I'm glad."

A set of knocks at the entrance door got both their attentions, but Lucrecia was the first to respond, "I'll get that."

As Lucrecia walked to the door Vincent couldn't take his eyes off her, like he was afraid that if he did she would vanish. She came back with a moogle pushing a cart behind her. The cart had a few silver plate dishes with various breakfast meals on them.

"Kupo! Mog's Resort Room Service has arrived to give you breakfast, kupo."

'Resort?' Vincent figured that was the name of the place he was in, and it sounded like a place near Costa del Sol. However, he had a feeling that this wasn't the case. Moogles didn't look like that back home, least not to his knowledge.

Lucrecia didn't seem worried. "Thank you." She took a seat at the table and got herself ready to eat.

The moogle himself seemed pleased, "I'll be back in an hour to pick the cart up, please enjoy yourselves until then, as well as enjoy the rest of your stay here, kupo!"

As the moogle left, Vincent took a seat next to Lucrecia. Not feeling hungry as his mind still had trouble digesting what he was seeing. He still had this insatiable wanting to just accept what was going on.

Lucrecia smiled at him and offered him a plate, and he accepted it.


	2. Chapter 2

Hard as it would be normally Vincent tried to avoid getting too close to Lucrecia. Though she was physically the woman he had loved and that she was real to his touch and she had spoken to him like she normally would he was still cautious. His mind still had an idea that this was just a nightmare or some illusion, and thus he tried to remain stoic though not heartless towards her.

That had been his plan even after they had left the resort and went out onto the island.

Even after the Mog's Blessing spell was sued, he stuck to it.

However, he hadn't taken into account what the spell had done until he had gone to the jungle. A little stream went by along the path he had walked. He stopped walking and looked into the water, and the face he had seen he didn't immediately recognize. His outfit had changed his red cloak and black leather replaced with a black tank top and red and black swim pants. His hair was still the same which covered half of his face, though without the collar he wore around his neck his face was more exposed.

The reflection in the water reminded him of his days of being a Turk, though that was a very long time ago.

He stood up and went on the trail, finding a spot under a thick limbed tree and he laid down on the soft grass in the shade. Feeling like he needed time to clear his head, Vincent closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened them he saw Lucrecia smiling down at him. He sat up quickly, "Lucrecia?"

"So this is where you've been," she said, her hands behind her back and not appearing to be upset with him. "I wondered where you walked off to when we left our room." She looked up at the tree and then around the surrounding area. "Except for the tropical climate, I'd say this reminds me of the Shinra Manor facility, don't you?"

Vincent watched her, and it was then he saw that her outfit was different. The moogles magic worked for her as well, turning her previous outfit into a summer one consisting of a strapless bikini top that was colored grey and a long flowing skirt that was loose around her hips. She was also barefoot, which Vincent noticed when she went to sit down next to him. Her hair was still tied up in the back, though the ribbon was deep red now instead of yellow.

He looked away from her, not wanting to look her in the eyes, he felt he might crumble if he did. "…I see you've changed. The moogles did that I take it?"

"They did, and after spending so much time in a lab, this feeling of being free is very satisfying."

Vincent got up to his feet and turned to her, "Lucrecia, I've tried to figure this out on my own but I can't find an answer. I wanted to accept this but I just can't…" He was filled to the brim with doubts and it was starting to overflow, he had to express it before he went on. "How are you here? You were absorbed into the Lifestream, and you were placed in a mako crystal. That's where you've been ever since you—" he stopped, he couldn't tell her about her apparent suicide attempt. The words could not form in his mind, especially whenever she was smiling. "Since we last met."

Lucrecia lowered her head, and for a moment Vincent thought she would not answer him. To his surprise, she did.

"I…am not sure of how it happened either." She raised her eyes to look at Vincent, and she got to her feet. She walked forward, not looking him in the eyes. She stopped short of the stream. "I remember all that happened in my life. From when I was a child, when I joined the company, the experiments in Nibelheim—" She took a deep breath and looked down at the water at her feet, "To the day we met, and all that happened afterwards. I also remember trying to kill myself, and failing to do so. Filled with despair and regret all I wanted was to hide from the world. I closed my eyes to hide the shame."

She looked over her shoulder at him. "When I opened my eyes again, the first person I saw…was you." She turned her body to face him. "I thought I had been given a second chance at happiness…I didn't want to question it, and so I just went along with it."

She stepped back into the stream, the surface of the water catching the end of her skirt.

"I know you're confused, Vincent, as am I. However, I am willing to accept this for as long as I am able…just to be with you."

Vincent took a step forward, "Lucrecia…"

She gave a weak smile, her feelings no doubt going through a roller coaster of a ride in her heart. "I'll let you have some time to think things through…until then, I'll wait for you."

She turned and walked away, leaving Vincent alone in the jungle.


	3. Chapter 3

Hours after they last spoke to each other and the sun was down below the horizon, and yet Vincent hadn't found Lucrecia since.

He walked along the beach, now covered in a pale moonlight and he was still deep in thought. Their last conversation had hit home for him, and from there he had been pondering if he had done the right thing. He wanted to believe that she was alive with him, and not some dream or figment of his imagination, yet at the same time...

He didn't want to doubt the work of this potential miracle, but he wasn't sure how he was going to prove it was real. So lost was he in his thought that he didn't notice the moogle hovering towards him.

"Excuse me, kupo!"

Though he heard the moogle speak to him Vincent didn't move.

"Sir, it's time to head inside. Curfew is in effect, kupo!"

Without acknowledging the creature's presence, Vincent slowly turned and made his way back to the hotel. His mind was still on the sad woman he had been with earlier, and how his heart ached for her.

'I want-no, I need to see her again."

"Curfew is in effect, Mister Mog, and all the guests are in the hotel, kupo."

The staff of the resort was finishing up their rounds, putting papers away and cleaning up the desks while making sure everything was ready for the following morning. There was even a moogle checking the weather forecast for the next seven days, making sure the weather was in optimal conditions for a tropical vacation.

Mister Mog was floating around with his entourage of smaller moogles getting updates from them. For one moogle to run a resort was indeed a daunting challenge Mog didn't show any signs of stress at the job. He had been running it for a very long time, and had yet to run into something that would drive him nuts. Save for Kupo Nuts, that is.

He checked off a request form another moogle had offered him and moved onto another pressing matter. "By the way, I heard that the rocks behind the waterfall are cracking, kupo."

The smaller moogle named Mooge nodded, "Yes sir, kupo! Seems the gradual disintegration of the water on the rocks is making it crack."

"Why hadn't I been notified of this before? This could pose a threat to our guests, kupo!"

"We only discovered it today, kupo! A few guests notified us of rocks falling in the lagoon and we inspected it later in the afternoon. We plan to block off a section of the lagoon as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of everyone, kupo. After that we will begin working to make it stable again."

Mog sighed, "Well, least we found it before it crashed. Things could be a lot worse, kupo."

The two moogles then heard squeaking that gave them the impression that something was off. The moogle behind the large computer screen was going bonkers. So much so that his pom-pom looked like it would fly off any moment, "Mister Mog! We have a problem, kupo!"

Quickly the moogles all gathered around the desk but moved out of Mog's way when he approached, "What is it, kupo?" Going through his mind was all sorts of calamitous problems that could be the problem: ships discovering the island, an eidolon emerging from within the island, or even a swarm of vegetarian bugs that could eat the island's vegetation all went through his mind. However, none of those turned out to be the problem.

The smaller moogle brought a picture of a nasty looking storm heading towards the island, "It's terrible, kupo! Tropical storm fast approaching!"

The other moogles gave signs of panic but Mog remained steadfast.

"I see...and it doesn't look like it is going to miss us either, kupo..." There had been threats of tropical storms and hurricanes in the past but by multiple strokes of luck the resort had always been spared. This time the storm seemed to be heading right for it with no sign of diverting its path. What bothered Mog however was how fast the storm had formed; it was like it had come from out of nowhere.

"How long until it gets here, kupo?"

The moogle typed away at the keyboard and kept its eyes on the computer screen, "This time tomorrow night it will be at our doorstep, kupo. We should have visuals on it by sunrise though. We'll get the full force of it when it arrives, kupo!"

Another moogle approached the desk, "What should we do sir? We might have to lock down the island and keep everyone inside-"

Mog wasn't paying attention to anyone around him. Not out of panic or nervousness, the gears in his head were turning and protocols for such an event were beginning to be made in his mind.

He knew what needed to be done. "Nobody panic. I know what to do, kupo. It will take all night but we can do it, kupo."

Hours after they last spoke to each other and the sun was down below the horizon, and yet Vincent hadn't found Lucrecia since.

He walked along the beach, now covered in a pale moonlight and he was still deep in thought. Their last conversation had hit home for him, and from there he had been pondering if he had done the right thing. He wanted to believe that she was alive with him, and not some dream or figment of his imagination, yet at the same time...

He didn't want to doubt the work of this potential miracle, but he wasn't sure how he was going to prove it was real. So lost was he in his thought that he didn't notice the moogle hovering towards him.

Vincent returned to his room and noticed right away that the room was dark. The lights were off but the full moon outside poured through the windows and gave enough light to where he could see where he was going. There was a silver foot cart next to the wooden table in the middle of the room as well as a small stack of black clothes with a piece of paper with Vincent's name on it. The food on the cart appeared to be undisturbed.

'She must not be here yet...' Vincent thought disappointed. He grabbed the stack of clothes on the table and went into the bathroom to change. Coming out a few minutes later he had hoped to find Lucrecia waiting for him. Yet there was no evidence to suggest that she had come by. His depression was reaching its height, to the point where not even the food appealed to his deprived stomach. He went over and fell onto the bed, and there he remained, staring at the ceiling and hearing nothing but the waves of the ocean outside.

Vincent didn't know when he closed his eyes, nor did he know when or if he had fallen asleep, but when he opened his eyes again he felt a presence in the room. A familiar and soothing presence.

He slowly sat up and looked across the room. It was still dark in the room and yet he could easily make out everything in it. At least until he noticed a human shade near the balcony doors.

Opening his mouth to speak, Vincent stopped before he could when he saw the form move forward.

Coming to a halt in the open doorway, Lucrecia stood with her hands on her stomach, the moonlight revealed half of her beautiful face. A breeze came through the open doors and the white curtains flowed like water around her. She wore a white night dress that was loose fitting and had thick straps on her slender shoulders. Her hair was no longer in the ponytail and instead draped over her shoulders.

She was the embodiment of beauty, a goddess in the night, and Vincent couldn't take his eyes off her.

She smiled lightly before offering her hand to him.

No words were spoken, there was no need to.

Without hesitating, Vincent got up from the bed and walked over to her. He took her hand in his own and she gently pulled him to her.

'Her touch...it's warm...'

He stood close to her, and while her touch was convincing enough he noticed that she smelled nice as well. A familiar scent, one that brought back happier memories, ones with less heartache and despair.

He was teetering on the edge of total belief when she brought his hand to her chest. She held it there, and through the warmth he felt he also felt something else. The thunderous rapid beating of her heart. She looked up into his eyes hoping he'd understand what this meant.

He did, and he knew it was true this time and his mind wasn't playing games with him.

Still, as if that couldn't convince him enough, Lucrecia did something else that would.

Putting her arms around his neck Lucrecia carefully pulled Vincent to her and brought her lips to meet his. The kiss was soft but it wasn't quick. It was enough to let him know that it was real. After the initial contact she lowered her arms and rested her hands on his chest, hoping he would return the affectionate act with something of his own. She looked up into his red eyes, and he noticed that her eyes were beginning to well up with what could only be tears. Not tears of sadness. No, not with the smile she was giving him.

He could still feel the heat of her skin as well as the wetness of her tears on his face. Yet the simple fact that he was taken off guard by the kiss was made apparent when he didn't respond.

There was no doubt in Vincent's mind now.

Bringing his hand up he caressed her cheek and returned her smile with one of his own before he leaned down to kiss her again. He further gave into his affection for her by putting his arms around her waist and pulling her to him.

Neither of them wanted to pull away.

Not when it felt so wonderful and so right.


	4. Chapter 4

Vincent heard a sound that instantly woke him from slumber. He sat up, head feeling slightly groggy and he looked across the room to hopefully see the cause of the clatter and he found the most likely perpetrator in that of a silver cart being pushed by a moogle.

The little creature seemed nervous when it noticed that Vincent was looking at it.

"Oh, sorry sir, kupo! I didn't mean to wake you."

Breathing heavily Vincent laid back on the mattress, and instantly noticed the sleeping form of Lucrecia next to him. She was still fast asleep, despite the humidity making things unbearable for Vincent that he had shed his shirt in the middle of the night. The gown that Lucrecia wore stuck to her skin because of that and a light layer of sweat covered her face and neck.

Rolling onto his side Vincent put a hand on her shoulder. Her skin was hot to his touch, but it was this gesture alone that slowly woke her up. Her eyes connected with his and she smiled.

Vincent spoke in a whisper, "Good morning..."

Giving a content sigh Lucrecia sat up, "Good morning Vincent."

That was when he noticed the smell in the air. A fresh scent of hot maple syrup and some sort of juice he didn't recognize.

The moogle got busy with its morning chores. This included serving the first day's breakfast. "This morning, compliments of the chef, I am serving the Chocobo-Chocolate chip waffles and a helping of Cactuar juice. Please help yourselves, kupo!"

And help themselves they did. Vincent couldn't help but feel a surge in his appetite, and he ate more than he possibly thought he should while Lucrecia had a sizable feast of her own.

After the food had been eaten the moogle had one last thing to address. "I also brought the swimsuits you wore yesterday back for you to wear today. Cleaned and dried, ready for use in the hot sun, kupo."

Feeling satisfied with the meal Lucrecia grabbed her swimsuit and held it close. After what happened the night before, the worries she had then were long gone. She wanted to enjoy the life she had now. "I was thinking we should head to the lagoon."

Vincent stood up from his chair slowly. He didn't object, not that he had a reason to do so. "Where's that?"

"Oh, you mean the lagoon near the waterfall, kupo? It's beyond the jungle down a slope."

Thanking the moogle for the advice Lucrecia got up from the chair, "I'll be right back."

She went into the bathroom and a few minutes later she came back out. However, contrary to what the moogle had said the suit she wore was not the same one she wore yesterday. It was a two piece, yes, but it had a white bandeau top that hugged her chest and matching bottoms. There was a shear white skirt that came with it that was too cute to describe.

When the moogle noticed the mistake its reaction was priceless. "Dammit, kupo! He did it again! When I get my paws on that moogle he'll be beaten as red as his pom-pom, kupo!"

Lucrecia was fixing her hair as the moogle went on his rant. While she kept her thoughts to herself, she wasn't sure how she felt wearing this particular swimsuit. Her eyes wandered to Vincent who was watching her with a degree of interest. Her expression asked him how she looked, and she hoped for a favorable answer.

Indeed the former Turk slowly nodded in approval, and almost smiled when the moogle interrupted the moment. He had gotten over his rant about the swimsuit mix up, though he would carry out his threat from earlier at a later time. He had a whole other matter to attend to and it was very important. "Just to warn you folks, the weather is turning terrible today because of the coming storm, kupo. The heat is up as well as the humidity, so you might want to stay out of the sun."

Lucrecia grabbed the set of beach towels she intended to bring along and put them in a bag provided by the moogle, "Then I suppose it is good that we are heading to the lagoon."

The moogle nodded in agreement, "That place is always cool, even in the hottest temperatures, kupo." Then he remembered another important detail. "Oh! You should check out the waterfall, kupo. We recently discovered a cave system behind it and it's been declared safe enough to enter, kupo."

Both Lucrecia and Vincent exchanged a look that indicated that were both interested in such a thing.

Vincent stood up from his chair, "I'll go get changed first, then we can check it out."

Lucrecia smiled appreciatively.

The two wasted little time in getting to the lagoon, and true to what the moogle had told them, compared to the rest of the island the place was much cooler. A waterfall many stories tall fell from the heavens and while it was surrounded on three sides with jungle the sun only shone from directly above. The water was waist deep at the center, but the rocks that were in the lagoon were positioned to where you could walk to the center of the pool on them. In the center of the pool was a large flat rock where the sun was shining on it.

Yet as alluring as that place was, neither Vincent nor Lucrecia seemed interested in that for the moment. Instead Lucrecia was interested in the caves the moogle had told them about. There was a path of rocks next to the waterfall that led behind it. Lucrecia led the way and Vincent was within arm's reach of her in case she were to slip on the rocks as she was barefoot.

Eventually they got to what appeared to be an entrance to a cave lined with brightly glowing crystals.

A wave of nostalgia came over Lucrecia who inspected a small cluster of crystals. "These are like the ones back in Nibelheim…"

Vincent agreed. It was like the Lifestream fountain back at Mt. Nibel as well, and that connection made him think of less happier times. Ones he'd rather forget in this lifetime.

As Lucrecia went deeper into the cave she had to watch her step as while there were paths she could follow they were not very wide and not only that they were also damp and slick. Small pools of ice cold water were scattered along the route she took. The air was cold as well and being damp from the humidity outside the cold air made the woman feel very cold. She almost wanted to go back outside to avoid catching a cold. Yet still she remained, her curiosity greater than her concern for her own safety.

Vincent was cold too, though he hid his discomfort to allow Lucrecia to have her fun.

Yet as they walked along the thin paths deeper into the cave, Lucrecia occasionally turned to make sure he was there, as if to make sure she was following her. There were times he didn't notice her do this, but when he did he saw that she was smiling at him.

Eventually they came to a large room with the largest pool of water they had yet seen. Once again her curiosity got the best of her and Lucrecia sat down on the edge of the pool and cautiously dipped her feet under the surface. No surprise to her it was cold and she still felt a massive shiver go up her spine.

Vincent kneeled down next to her, already deciding not to do what she just did, but being near her is where he wanted to remain.

Lucrecia pulled her feet out of the water but continued to sit on the edge of the pool. "Sit down Vincent, let's rest."

Without asking why did the man do so.

Sighing in content Lucrecia looked beyond the pool, noticing for the first time that there was a wall of water on the other side of the pool. She thought about going there after a few minutes.

They sat next to each other and, for a few long minutes, didn't say a word. Not out of fear of ruining the tranquility that permeated the air but for different reasons. For Lucrecia it was the simple notion that after being unable to enjoy life she was at Vincent's side and was content to keep it that way. She was never good with expressing her feelings with words, thus her actions always spoke for her. Similarly Vincent humorously struggled to find the words to express and thus he kept quiet for the most part. Stoic in nature but not always by design, and while he didn't quite realize it, it was one of the reasons that the young woman beside him loved him so much. She knew him well enough to understand his feelings.

Resting her head upon his shoulder Lucrecia finally broke the silence with a whisper, "I'm so sorry."

Vincent had barely heard her. "For what?"

"Everything…your father's death, the experiments, not listening to the obvious warnings you tried to give me…all I did was ensure the near destruction of the planet."

Silence came over them like a shroud, and while he sympathized with her Vincent knew Lucrecia was not wrong. Her experiments ended up producing a mad man hell-bent on destroying the world and were it not for the brave few that stood in his way it would have ended the world.

"But…you also ensured the planet would survive."

"How is that…?"

"You saved me," said Vincent, the thoughts of adventures past flowing through his mind. In fact if it hadn't been for Lucrecia's experiments on him, he wouldn't have lived to help save the world. So in that sense, the planet should praise her if not as much as it should curse her. Vincent could never do such a thing.

"Can sins ever be forgiven…or forgotten?"

For that Vincent didn't have an answer. He had tried for a long time to get over his past mistakes himself but found it nigh impossible to do so. For Lucrecia the situation was even worse Even if the people knew nothing of her involvement in their near annihilation she knew she could never forget her sins. They'd haunt her for the rest of her existence.

Standing up she felt the tears beginning to well up in her eyes and without a word she bolted to the other side of the pool to the waterfall she had spotted earlier and got under the flowing water.

Vincent had followed her and saw that the cold water was washing over her body and while it was definitely cold as ice and felt like daggers hitting her skin, he knew she needed this.

"Thought I could wash my sins away," said Lucrecia, now wrapping her arms around her body, the cold becoming too much for her to handle.

"And is it working?"

She shook her head as an answer, "I don't know..."

Seeing her punish herself proved too much for Vincent to bear, and he got under the water with her. He put his arms around her, like he was protecting her, and held her close. The warmth of his body was welcoming to the young woman, and she laid her head against his chest.

He didn't know if this would help him personally, but if he could help Lucrecia, then it was worth the agony.

It was for his consideration for her feelings that Lucrecia was grateful, "Thank you, Vincent."

The moogles were in frantic mode the past few hours.

The storm was still a good deal away and yet it seemed to be gaining speed. And it was because of that preparations to deal with it were out of whack.

Mr. Mog was in the process of getting things in order. The plan of placing magical barriers around the island was proving to be much more difficult than he had planned. For one thing, his own magic wasn't working properly and thus couldn't cover as much ground as he had hoped. The other was more out of his control and that was the fact the other moogles were not fully prepared for the storm. Magically prepared yes but the fact that they themselves had never faced a storm before made them anxious, prone to distraction, and above all scared as hell. It was like trying to corral a herd of wild chocobos.

So, the plan had to be reduced considerably, much to his worries.

The moogles all gathered around the entrance to the hotel where Mr. Mog called an emergency meeting.

"Okay, kupo. How are things going?"

The moogles all sounded off in clear but anxious voices," Food stores are secure, kupo!"

"The fireworks are secured in the caves!"

"The caves have been secured too, kupo. The crews have taken residence in the hotel, kupo!"

"The shacks have been cleared of merchandise and personnel, kupo."

"We're ready to face the face the storm, kupo!"

Nodding once, Mog decided to give them the bad news. "Sadly fellas we don't have as much time as we thought."

Confusion came over the crowd.

Mog pointed his wand at the growing storm clouds in the horizon and if one were to look closely you could tell they were moving quick. "The storm has accelerated its movements. It won't be long before it gets here, kupo."

One of the moogles, a light pink one named Moop, lost her mind. "WHAT!? But it's only early afternoon, kupo!"

Every moogle in the area followed her example and began to panic, but a loud horn from Mog silenced them. "Hold onto your pom-poms and settle down, kupo! It's true the storm will be here earlier than expected, we still secured the majority of the island and while my magic won't be able to cover the entire island I will be able to secure the hotel and that is where we will all be when it gets here, kupo."

Having regained control, the moogles all gathered themselves and waited for their next instructions.

"Now, the storm will be here in less than an hour. Please go and find the guests and ask them to return to their rooms, kupo."

After the washing in the waterfall, both Vincent and Lucrecia found a patch of grass that was in direct sunlight and decided to lie in it to warm themselves. That and they could not bring themselves to separate from each other as evidenced by how Lucrecia was resting in Vincent's arms.

They hadn't spoken a word to each other for a while but there was nothing to say. The silence that filled the air was gone the moment an echo in the caves was heard. It was an unintelligible gibberish made by an anxious voice.

Vincent sat up the moment he heard it and Lucrecia continued to lay in the say on her back. "You heard that?"

Lucrecia nodded before placing her hands above her head, allowing the sun to warm her entire body. "I did. I wonder what it is."

"I'll go and see about it. Wait here," said Vincent as he went ahead to see what the noise was all about, leaving Lucrecia alone in the patch of green in the rocky area. Basking in the sun like she was sunbathing and being comfortable enough to lower her guard she placed the white jacket next to her and crossed her legs. She sighed comfortably.

Then shadows came over her closed eyes and when she opened them she saw the sky above go from blue and sunny to dark grey. The temperature began to drop and she sat up to put the jacket she wore back on. Then came the light rumbling of thunder signaling the arrival of the tropical storm.

Yet there was another reason she felt a chill go up her spine.

It was the feeling of being watched. That someone was looking at her from the shadows, though she when she looked around she couldn't see anyone, and yet there were many places around her that could lend a hand at preventing anyone from noticing them.

Lucrecia sat up and wrapped her arms around her chest, feeling vulnerable for the first time during the whole time she had been on the island. 'Vincent…where are you?' That thought echoed in her mind, and her anxiousness remained until she saw him approach again. And he wasn't along, as a moogle was following him. The young woman's heart fluttered when she laid eyes on him and she got to her feet.

"Lucrecia, we have to return to the hotel. The storm will be here soon."

The moogle spun in the air, having given its message despite getting lost in the caves for the last ten minutes. "Please do so quickly, kupo."

Taking one last look at the ever menacing sky beginning to form overhead, Lucrecia didn't waste any time in leaving with them.


	5. Dance

**Got to ask for the public opinion, bt how are the stories doing? What is working and what could be better? Anyone have any ideas? Please share and, like always, enjoy!**

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The storm had been quiet for the majority of the evening, but in the early morning hours was when things got crazier. Lightning flashed every few seconds and thunder seemed to constantly rumble. The wind blew at all times and seemed to make the building sway in each direction the wind went, and the rain constantly hit the walls outside.

Most likely because of that that Lucrecia had been unable to sleep. Though she was wrapped up in the warm blankets the bed had offered, not to mention as close to Vincent as possible to try to get comfortable, she still found herself unable to sleep. Vincent was in the same boat, but it wasn't the storm that kept him up for he had no true need to sleep due to his condition. He never needed sleep.

He had his arms around Lucrecia and they laid in a spoon position, she felt his breathing on her hair on the back of her head. She whispered so low that he almost didn't hear her, "Vincent…I can't sleep…"

He lightly sighed, "I don't blame you…" He held her tightly in his arms.

Soon she tried to get free and she turned in his arms. Vincent laid on his back and she placed her head on his chest. Maybe this way she could find a better chance to sleep? Yet it never came, even when he placed his hand on her head as a source of comfort the storm outside prevented her from entering dreamland.

Raising her head again Lucrecia sighed in defeat. "I give up…"

As soon as she admitted that Vincent reached over and turned on his bedside lamp, illuminating the room. He peered over at the grandfather clock on the far side of the room. It wasn't even 2:30 in the morning, and they had gone to bed shortly before eleven after eating an exquisite dinner. Lucrecia followed his example and turned on her own lamp. The room was fully illuminated and Vincent sat up against the headboard. Like a mimic Lucrecia did the same, never leaving his side.

"I don't think it's going to let up tonight," said the man softly, just before a louder rumble of thunder shook the building.

"I agree…" Lucrecia found his right hand and intertwined her fingers with his. Though she knew nothing about being a meteorologist or the weather in general she had a feeling in her gut that what he said was true. Then she heard the light beating of his heart in his chest. When she heard that she couldn't help but smile. "So my hypothesis was proven wrong."

"Hm?" Vincent opened his eyes, having closed them to relax.

"I thought when I revived you after that…incident…I thought you would be a true zombie. Yet, I can hear your heart beating like a normal human," she explained. Lucrecia sounded like the intellectual woman Vincent had always known and loved. "Refreshing and heartwarming, if I were to be honest."

She got up and sat on her knees, taking Vincent by the hands and pulling him up as well.

"Anyway, I wonder what we should do for the time being? We can't sleep with what is going on outside, and yet I cannot think of anything to do…"

Vincent had begun to think about that before she had spoken about it. Yesterday he had taken the time to look around the room to see if there was anything hidden in the closet or the drawers of the furniture but to his surprise there wasn't anything. Not even a deck of playing cards.

"Not sure." He took a look around the room and it was there that he noticed the books on a shelf nearby. Maybe he could find an idea in there? He got out of bed and went on over to the shelf to take a look. They had books of varying subjects, most of which didn't have any significance to the situation. There was one, however, that got Vincent's eye.

The front cover had a picture of a man and woman dressed in noble clothing and dancing together. In gold letter the title read out: _Ballroom Dancing for the Light-footed_. He didn't understand why this one was what got his attention. Maybe because he had never thought about dancing before?

While he thought about that he failed to notice Lucrecia walk up and stand beside him, "What's this?"

Vincent showed her the book, "Odd book to have in a place like this, wouldn't you think?"

Her interest piqued Lucrecia opened the book and went through it quickly. "This is interesting. Let's give it a try."

Vincent blinked once, "Huh?"

Closing the book and placing it back on the shelf Lucrecia then grabbed him by the hand and slowly pulled him to the center of the room where there was plenty of space to move.

Needless to say Lucrecia was on a mission and the man she loved found himself as an unexpected participant. "What are you doing?"

She looked him in the eyes, "Never danced before?"

He lowered his eyes. He was rather ashamed of himself to think he had never danced before. "The thought never crossed my mind…"

This didn't bother Lucrecia as she smiled, "Well, better now than never, right?"

"I might step on your feet, just letting you know," said Vincent, giving into the idea of dancing with her. Having never danced before he thought giving her a fair warning had been the right call.

"That's fine, just don't take it seriously and have fun with it, okay?" She took hold of the skirts of her night dress and did a playful curtsy for him. She felt a slight bit silly in doing so to the point where she giggled.

Vincent smiled lightly and returned the act with a bow. He even chuckled, already enjoying himself.

Taking his hands with her own Lucrecia took the lead. Though she had skimmed over the pages of the book beforehand she had seen pictures of one of the proper positions. She guided Vincent so he wouldn't struggle, placing one hand on the small of her back and held the other in her right hand before she got close to him. Looking into his eyes she whispered in a loving voice, "Now, let me guide you."

She started to move and Vincent followed, not missing a step to his utter surprise as they moved back and forth. They didn't follow any particular pattern from the book but more like what they felt inside for each other. Slow, steady, and enjoying every moment they had.

Lucrecia spoke softly, "All that's missing is classical music and it'd be perfect."

Vincent couldn't quite agree with her. "Except I wouldn't want to dance in front of others dressed like this."

His sheepish response made her giggle. "Right, a tuxedo would be best for you."

"And a ball gown for you…" he blushed lightly thinking of how well she would look in one of those dresses. All prim and proper and lavishly made up for an elegant dance Lucrecia would of no doubt been the belle of the ball with how beautiful she was naturally but the enhancements she would have received would have made her a goddess in most men's eyes. The thought made him warm inside and his heart beat faster. Such a sight could only be possible in his dreams, or in another reality.

She caught his blush, "What are you thinking about, Vincent?"

He didn't respond with words, instead pulling her to him and holding her in his arms. Though he couldn't express it yet, the truth was he was in high heaven right now and he truly hoped it wouldn't ever end.

Accepting his answer Lucrecia rested her head on his shoulder and relaxed in his embrace, unable to speak further.


End file.
